When Steve Alford was named UNM men's basketball head coach in March 2007, he talked about building a program that would put the Lobos in the national spotlight. Two years into his career, Alford is on his way. On Monday, he was recognized by the Mountain West Conference as the league's 2008-09 Coach of the Year.
When the story broke that Alex Rodriguez took steroids in 2003, there was a question that immediately came to my mind. Why did he juice up on stuff that wore off during the playoffs? All kidding aside, A-Rod's now-admitted use of banned substances from 2001-03 was more sad than shocking.
The franchises of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals couldn't be farther apart in terms of historic significance in the NFL. Pittsburgh, along with the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys, is tied for the lead in all-time Super Bowl victories with five.
Because she's a local talent, Valerie Kast brings the entire Pit to its feet every time she scores for the UNM women's basketball team. Until Thursday, those moments had been scarce, as the junior from Gallup averaged only nine minutes and 3.7 points per game in the Lobos' first seven contests.
Phillip McDonald may not have the size, stature or star power of J.R. Giddens, but the freshman shooting guard is doing his part to help fill Giddens' shoes. McDonald helped the UNM men's basketball team rout the Grambling State Tigers on Thursday at The Pit with his 15-point, 10-rebound performance.
Trying to figure out the NFL is harder than predicting New Mexico weather. Two weeks ago, I wrote a column proclaiming that the NFC had dethroned the AFC as the best conference in the NFL. It seemed the NFC East was clearly the best division in the entire league.
Since 2000, the AFC has been the superior conference in the NFL, with the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers and 2007 New York Giants being the only NFC teams to win Super Bowls this decade. But after New York's monumental upset of then 18-0 New England in the Super Bowl - coupled with Tom Brady's season-ending injury - it seems the balance of power has shifted to the NFC.
Danny Granger, arguably the most gifted UNM men's basketball player to ever come through Albuquerque, is making the largest financial gift in Lobo Athletics history. Granger, who played for UNM in the 2004 and 2005 seasons, will make a $500,000 donation to the athletics program, Athletics Director Paul Krebs announced Wednesday.
At 29 years old and with undoubtedly a few more years of quality basketball left, Kobe Bryant's legacy is not yet set in stone. But after the Los Angeles Lakers' loss to the Boston Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals, Bryant's place in history definitely took a step back.
Throughout the 2008 track and field season, UNM athletes have set school records, qualified for prestigious meets and enjoyed one of its finest seasons in years. And the Lobos will get a chance to show off their talents in front of a home crowd for the first time this season, hosting the Don Kirby Invitational on Saturday.
UNM tailback Rodney Ferguson tries to escape a tackle during Saturday's Cherry versus Silver game at Ivan Head Stadium in Santa Fe. Cherry defeated Silver 35-7.
Solutions by The State News
